reviewing the colours and angles of beauty

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Looking for a new eyeshadow or lipstick? Maison Jacynthe is the answer! If you know me, you know I am all about eyeshadow. I wear it every time I do my makeup, and I’m always looking for new colours to pair together and different finishes. Maison Jacynthe sent me two eyeshadows and a lipstick to review, and I have found 3 new pieces to add to my “staples” collection.

Maison Jacynthe is a Canadian brand, products are made in Québec- YAY! I love this quote from their brochure “Our 100% natural and active products are real food for the skin.” You can use their products with confidence, knowing you are treating your skin to natural ingredients, not chemicals.

Crema is a beautiful shade. I would say it is a bit of a cross between a frost and a lustre finish. I use it as a highlight on the inner corner of the eyes, brow bone, or the entire mobile lid. It is very rare for me to use a frost or lustre finish eyeshadow on my mobile lid, I love matte shades. I usually only use the frost or lustre as a highlight shade on the eye.

Due to the fact that I have hooded lids, putting a finish like this all over the mobile lid or crease, usually ends up resulting in my eyes looking even more hooded. When you apply these finishes to a hooded eye it captures the light (which brings things forward) and emphasizes the hood on the eye, making it look more severe than it actually is. However, with this Maison Jacynthe eyeshadow I do not have this problem. I actually love it all over the mobile lid, it is soft enough to not make the hooded lid stand out. So to all my fellow hooded-eye beauties who are looking to add some sparkle to their collection- this is a must if you normally tend to stay away from frost or lustre finishes for the same reasons I do- you will love this one!!

Eyeshadow- 09 Affogato:

Here is a closer look:

Affogato is AMAZING. I can remember when I was 18 and going to prom, my Mom did my makeup for me. She used this gorgeous purple/grey Revlon shade on my eyes and I was absolutely in love with it. When I went to repurchase it after I ran out of it, I was disappointed to discover they discontinued the shade. Affogato is almost exactly the same shade as that Revlon eyeshadow I was so sad to not be able to repurchase. Maison Jacynthe’s shade is a gorgeous charcoal grey with a slight purple undertone. If you have hazel eyes like me, or green eyes, it really makes them pop. I love to use this shade in the crease.

I love to pair both these eyeshadows together. Using Crema on my mobile lid, Affogato in the crease, and a bit of black eyeshadow on the outter V and lashline, and finish with some black mascara. Both eyeshadows retail for C$22.00 each.

Moving on to lips, Maison Jacynthe also sent me this gorgeous lipstick.

Lipstick- 08 Corail Transparent Mate:

Corail Transparent Mate is so pretty. It is matte, and goes on very easily- a little goes a long way. I really like it because it is a beautiful coral shade, however, it is almost a cross between coral and red, and so it pairs well with a lot of different eyeshadow colour looks. This lipstick goes on matte, but my favourite thing about it is that it is NOT drying. Often times matte lipsticks can leave your lips feeling dry, but Maison Jacynthe’s almost has a creamy texture to it, so it’s easy to work with. I also love the packaging of this product, how cute!! It retails for C$33.00.

Tip: When using a matte lipstick such as this one, I suggest making sure you exfoliate your lips before application. The only downfall to matte lipstick shades in my opinion is it really emphasizes dead skin if your lips are chapped. I use a lip exfoliator before applying this and it goes on really well.

Overall Maison Jacynthe has a phenomenal makeup line. I am so impressed at how pigmented the eyeshadows and lipstick are, a little of these products go a long way. For a brand that has no chemicals and is made with natural ingredients, the makeup measures up to other high-end brands products that I use. If you are looking for a birthday gift for someone, or still doing your holiday shopping, I strongly suggest checking out Maison Jacynthe!

Here are some swatches of all 3 products:

You can view their makeup collection by clicking here, and you can also view their other products here.

Today’s post is not on makeup, but rather on a topic I think needs some more attention. Today I am reviewing a brand called Veeda, a feminine care brand in the U.S. that offers natural products. Their focus is on ensuring every woman is informed about and has access to affordable and safe feminine care. This topic may be awkward for some to discuss, but I think as women we really should be careful with all products we use, including feminine care.

When I think about the makeup products I choose, or the foods I eat, often I do this with a health-conscious frame of mind. You all know I like/prefer to use natural products, with organic ingredients and no chemicals. When it comes to food, the same mentality applies. We often try to make smart decisions when it comes to our body, mind and overall health. But I think it’s important to discuss feminine care, as this type of mentality should not only be limited to food and beauty products, it shouldn’t stop there.

I would like to thank Veeda for sending me some samples of their products and for reaching out. Those of you who are like me and are on the lookout for natural/hypoallergenic products in general will love what Veeda has to offer. Hypoallergenic, toxin-free, 100%natural cotton tampons, pads and liners. They are also available at a very fair price.

Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) is something we have all heard about, and it’s quite scary. The fact that this is even something that can happen from using feminine care products should be enough to shake us and challenge us to find products that are most natural. But a lot of us use the standard brands found in stores and we don’t think twice about reading the ingredients used. According to some information provided to me by Veeda “Unfortunately even though the FDA requires certain warnings and manufacturers reformulated their tampons in the 80’s, TSS is still a problem. Viscose rayon found in conventional tampons promotes the production of the toxin that can lead to TSS. Rayon fibers can also break off and cause TSS even after removal of the actual tampon. The risk of TSS is real, with up to 1 in 700 girls and women contracting tampon-related TSS in their lifetime.”

After doing some research I strongly urge you to think about the choices you make when it comes to feminine care. Veeda says it best “Tampons and pads come in contact with some of the most absorptive areas of the body, but feminine care products are not required by the FDA to list their ingredients.” Think of how often you pick up a makeup or beauty product, food product and even clothing, and you read the label to see the ingredients or what it’s made of. Do you do this when you are choosing your feminine care products? I spoke to some friends and asked them this and they said no, they don’t check labels when it comes to feminine care, they assume it’s safe and purchase it.

I am most definitely an advocate for the importance of feeling beautiful inside and out, overall loving yourself, and having a positive and healthy frame of mind, body and soul. When it comes to the body in it’s physical form part, I trust in brands like Veeda who’s mission is focused on spreading awareness on something we often overlook. Brand’s who believe in their customers health and well-being are always welcome in my books. It’s not about making money, it’s about as I just said spreading awareness and helping women to make informed decisions when it comes to their bodies. We only have this body and we have it for our lifetime, so we should make the most informed decisions with whatever comes in contact with it.

A few weeks ago, I posted on my social media accounts that I was sent Kismet Essentials’ product “Coco Rinse” and to watch for a review soon. A lot of you were intrigued by this product and the oil pulling method. First off, I would like to thank Kismet Essentials for sending me their product, I am so delighted!

Before I get into the review, here is a quick bio on Kismet Essentials. They are a company based in Vancouver, BC (Yay for a Canadian brand) and they pride themselves on trying their best to use natural based products in their own lives, so they wanted to bring those kind of products to their customers. Their goal is to provide customers with products that will help them enjoy a naturally healthy and beautiful life. All of their ingredients are organic, non-GMO, and ethically sourced from sustainable resources. They are proud to provide products that make their customers feel good about what they bring into their home and put in their bodies. Their products are good for you and our planet!

To be honest, the oil pulling method was something I had not tried, because I wasn’t really sure what it was all about, or how it could give you whiter teeth. So like most people, I stuck to whitening strips. Those of you who follow my blog know I love to use products like Coco Rinse that contain natural ingredients that benefit your body, skin and overall health. I strongly believe in feeling beautiful inside as well as out, and Kismet Essentials believes in that philosophy too. After doing some research on the oil pulling method, and Coco Rinse specifically, I was super excited to test this out.

In case you don’t know what the oil pulling method is, here is a description from their website: “Oil pulling is our favorite natural way to get whiter teeth and fresh breath! If you’ve never heard of it, oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic dental practice, also known as “kavala” or “gundusha”. It involves swishing a tablespoon of coconut oil daily in your mouth for 10-20 minutes to draw and pull our the toxins in your body.”

For additional information, check out this article on oil pulling by Helen Sanders at Health Ambition. This article gives you detailed information on what oil pulling is, the different types of oils that can be used and the benefits of using this method. Click here to read!

Kismet Essentials also lists some benefits of oil pulling on their website:

Whiter Teeth

Fresher Breath

Improved Digestion

Reduced Headaches

Cleaner Tongue and Mouth

Better Immune System

Healthier Gums

Reduced Plaque

Clearer, Softer Skin

Improved Skin Conditions (Eczema, Psoriasis etc)

Balanced Hormones

The Coco Rinse process is done over a 14 day period. One of the things I love most is how easy it is to use. You get 14 sachets in your kit, and you use 1 per day. Open the sachet and put the product in your mouth, then swish it around for 10 minutes (or up to 20). Yes- it’s seriously that easy.

Another thing I found awesome is how there is no mess. When I have used whitening strips in the past, I would get it on my fingers and lips. Because you have to peel the strips off and place them on your teeth, but none of this happens when using this product. Coco Rinse is also mint flavoured, so it tastes good! It’s basically like using mouthwash, you swish it around and there is no mess.

After the 10 minutes are up, you simply spit it out. Do not swallow it, because it contains all of the toxins it has drawn out, so make sure to spit it out! Another thing I love is how it does not leave that grimy feeling of film residue on your teeth; my teeth actually feel cleaner after I use this product. I am SO impressed.

If you have used whitening strips before, you have probably experienced the sensitivity and discomfort that comes along with using these. Coco Rinse gave me zero pain or sensitivity over the entire 14 day duration, including now that I am done using the kit.

After my 14 days of continued use I can see that my teeth are whiter. I am one to really take care of my teeth, I brush twice a day and floss once a day. When I was younger I had braces, so I now have a small wire on the back of some of my teeth to keep them straight. If you’ve had braces and now have these wires as well you know how annoying it is to floss with these. I do my best, but it is the only spot where I will get plaque buildup because it’s so hard to floss around the wires. Since using Coco Rinse I notice a BIG difference with my wires. Using this in conjunction with my flossing has removed basically ANY buildup I had accumulated since my last teeth cleaning, I cannot get over it!!

Overall I am really happy with the results! This product is a dream if you are someone like me who is obsessed with brushing and flossing haha and also because it is natural, whitens teeth and helps to keep plaque away which = cleaner smile = makes me super happy! You can purchase Coco Rinse here for C$29.99, or a monthly subscription for C$25.99. Shipping is $10.00 worldwide or FREE on orders above $50.00. Also if you click here and sign up using your e-mail address you can get 15% off your first purchase!

Side note: Kismet Essentials also has an AWESOME blog on their website. You can find lots of posts regarding coconut oil and its many benefits. There is a post on how to get longer eyelashes using coconut oil, just saying 😉 so yeah I will be trying this!!! You can view their blog by clicking here. If you have tried Coco Rinse, or you will be, leave me a comment below!

This week I am talking about Bobbi Brown again. YES- another Bobbi Brown review, because her products are THAT awesome. I will forever be in love!!

If you missed my last post on Bobbi Brown you can view it here, I reviewed a bronzer and highlighter pencil! I also spoke about Bobbi Brown and my love for her line in my guest appearance last week on Cat Forsley‘s beauty podcast MyLipAddiction, you can listen to it on iTunes and other channels, click here for my post with the links.

I said it in my last review and I can’t say it enough. What I love most about her products is how blendable they are. It’s amazing. Whether you are a beginner in makeup or experienced, they are very easy products to work with. The other great thing is the colour payoff. When I use this eyeshadow and blush, I barely have to put any on my brush, a little goes a very long way. Which is a win because your product lasts longer!

Here are some individual shots of each:

Eye Shadow in shade 13 Cocoa. I love how this shadow really warms up the crease. It really brings out the green in my eyes too. I purchased this for C$29.00, you can view it here.

Blush in shade 11 Nectar. This is SO beautiful and natural looking, I love how Nectar creates the perfect natural blushing shade. I purchased this for C$33.00, you can view it here.

I also have a lot of favourite makeup brushes as we all do (stay tuned for a post on this soon!) but I am really loving this brush, and I am so impressed with it so I am going to post about it today and in my favourite brushes post coming soon. It has gone straight up to the top of my favourites list! Here is a closer look at it:

This is her eye brush called Eye Blender. I love using this when I am done applying all of my eye shadow for an overall blend to bring all of the shadows together. You don’t have to put a lot of pressure to get the blended effect. I love how soft it is, and how it does NOT tug at the skin on my eye at all. I purchased this for C$40.00, you can view it here.

I give all 3 of these a 10/10. I am never let down by Bobbi Brown products, and I love the company philosophies, which I spoke about in my last post as well. I highly recommend all of the products of hers I have mentioned on my blog! I think my cat Abby does as well, because she couldn’t keep her paws off of it while I was trying to take photos hehe!